JDO Brand & Design has partnered with Carlsberg owned Baltika in Russia to redesign Baltika 3, the brewery’s classic lager brand. Baltika 3 is iconic in the Russian beer market, viewed as the best Russian mainstream beer delivering an authentic and high quality taste.

With increased competition from international premium beers and the threat of counterfeit beer products, Baltika 3 needed to elevate its position and maintain its market share. JDO was briefed to develop a more premium and modern design for the brand as well as improve stand out on shelf in an increasingly dark and busy category. The agency was encouraged to adopt an evolutionary approach, retaining core existing brand equities such as the label style and the Baltika crest.

The refreshed design is a more contemporary, cleaner representation of Baltika 3. A deeper blue delivers more contrast to enhance the brand and communicate a bold, confident and modern expression. The crest has been enlarged and subtle, yet effective updates have been made to the detail. A larger red hotspot helps to deliver more standout on shelf and the crown has been adjusted to a 100% gold finish. The hop detailing has also been redrawn to lend a more structured and symmetrical balance to the label.

An evolution of the bottle shape has resulted in a structure with broader shoulders and a more defined base to deliver character. JDO also created medal embossing around the neck to communicate brewing credentials and a strong ingredient story for the brand. Graphic medals complement the embossing and sit below a simplified and more modern typographic treatment of the ‘Classic’ wording.

Tatyana Chernaia, Baltika brand manager added, “JDO’s new design has succeeded in appealing to our existing loyal consumers as well as to a younger audience which will help establish opportunities for growth.”